Millionaires' Destinies(47)

Richard was already shaking his head. “I’m not ready to announce that yet, not without a campaign manager in place, and we’re at least a couple of weeks away from that. The earliest I intend to announce is mid-January.”

“You’re not announcing it,” Melanie explained patiently. “You’re only conceding what everyone already knows, that you’re thinking about running. Then you acknowledge our business relationship and, poof, we get rid of the speculation about a romance. The truth will be so boring, he might not even print it.”

Mack laughed. “Very clever. Listen to her, Richard. I know this guy. He thrives on scandal and innuendo. This will sound way too tame for his readers.”

Richard finally nodded. “Okay, then, let’s go feed him this dull little tidbit and pray that Destiny hasn’t seen fit to give him an entirely different scoop.”

“Such as?” Melanie asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

“News of our imminent engagement,” Richard said.

“She’s seen us together once,” Melanie pointed out.

“But she has an active imagination,” Mack said. “And she does love to embroider the truth when it suits her purposes. If she has a chance to prod along this budding romance, she’ll grab it. Unfortunately, Richard has a point, too.”

“We could duck out right now, before Forsythe sees us,” Richard suggested.

“No way,” Melanie said, refusing to be daunted by Richard and Mack’s dire predictions. “That’s exactly the wrong thing to do. If Forsythe hears we were here or has caught even a glimpse of us, he’ll go wild wondering why we disappeared during the hors d’oeuvres. He’ll probably run right into the lobby to check the guest register to see if we slipped away upstairs.”

“Our names won’t be there,” Richard reminded her, then grinned. “Unless…”

“Forget that,” she said succinctly as Mack tried to smother a laugh. “Besides, it won’t matter what he finds. He’ll just conclude you bribed the desk clerk. Tomorrow morning we’ll be reading all about how we disappeared to be alone together. I still think my original plan is best. We have to march in there as if we have absolutely nothing to hide, which we don’t. Beyond that, it’s a very crowded room. It’s possible we can meet and greet, make our presence felt and get out without ever crossing paths with Forsythe. He can pick up the word about why we’re here together from other sources.”

Mack nodded his agreement. “I’m with Melanie, bro. I’ll go in first and run interference,” he suggested with a look of pure anticipation.

Richard frowned at him. “I thought you always hid behind those huge offensive linesmen.”

“Very funny,” Mack retorted. “Either way, I’m more experienced at this sort of thing than you are.”

“Running interference or avoiding Pete Forsythe’s speculation?” Richard asked.

“Both,” Mack said succinctly.

“By the way, where’s your date?” Richard asked.

“I came alone,” Mack said. “Less fodder for Destiny. Besides, I didn’t want to steal your limelight.” He grinned. “You know, in case you decided tonight was the night to make your big announcement.”

Richard gave him a dire look. “You are going to be such dead meat when Destiny sets her sights on your love life. I’m going to help her in every way I can.”

Melanie grinned at the brotherly byplay. “Richard, I’m not so sure it’s wise to antagonize the man who’s going to throw himself between us and Pete For-sythe.”

Richard held up his hands. “Okay, okay. Do your thing, little brother. Get us to Destiny unscathed.”

Mack proved to be remarkably adept at maneuvering through the crowd. Apparently all that experience eluding tackles was paying off, Melanie concluded as they made their way toward the head table where Destiny was holding court with several distinguished-looking gentlemen. To Melanie’s astonishment, she realized that two of them were senators and one was a top aide to the president. She suddenly felt as if she’d fallen down the rabbit hole and landed at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. She was definitely out of her usual element in such lofty company.

Destiny welcomed them with a beaming smile, then performed the introductions with a graciousness that made Melanie sound as if she owned a top-flight firm on New York’s Madison Avenue. The men regarded her with an automatic respect she wasn’t used to garnering after an introduction. She was used to having to prove herself and her right to work in such exalted circles. Heck, she still hadn’t proved herself to Richard.